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Did you know...

Almost half of UK businesses believe that good design contributes to increased market share (46%) and turnover (44%).

54% of the firms recently surveyed also believed that good design would effectively help them maintain their competitive edge in the current economic climate.

Good design is a source of competetive advantage

To survive in challenging economic conditions and stay ahead of the competition, UK businesses must add value by designing innovative products and services and avoid cutting prices.

Research has shown that design is a significant source of competitive advantage. Companies that invest in their design capability and develop a reputation for innovation can avoid competing on price alone. In the UK, 45 per cent of firms that don’t use design compete mainly on price; only 21per cent of firms where design is significant do so.

Design-led innovation

Investing in design allows businesses to compete in numerous way, including:

• Creation of new products and services
Design enables the creation of innovative products and services, allowing companies to open new income streams and compete overseas.

• Adding value through innovation
Design can enhance the outcomes of numerous innovation activities, bringing benefits such as increased quality of goods and services, improved production flexibility and reduced materials costs.

Want to know more?

For more information on investing in design for business, we recommend reading the following short documents as produced by the Design Council:

+ The Impact of Design on Business (pdf 84k)

+ Design in Britain (pdf 5mb)

Thriving for business

If you'd like to get your business innovating and gain competetive advantage, contact our team:

info@hivedc.co.uk
T. 0117 972 8777